The present invention relates generally to fluent product dispensers, and more particularly to fluent product dispensers having temperature-indicating means for indicating the temperature of the products.
There exist many fluent product dispensers in the marketplace. Some dispensers are well known and are used to dispense amounts of expandable one-component urethane foams, such as GREAT STUFF, manufactured and sold by Flexible Products Company of Joliet, Ill., the assignee of the present invention. Other fluent product dispensers are used to first mix, and then dispense two foam components that are reacted with each other within the dispenser. Once mixed together, the two components combine and expand to form an expansive foam. This reacted foam may be used in adhesive applications, in caulking applications, in sealing applications or the like.
The use of such two reactive components is often temperature dependent. There is an optimum temperature for operation of the two foam components. Below this optimum temperature (of one or both of the two foam reactive components), the quality of the reacted foam suffers, such as a much lower foam yield occurring from the reaction. In the actual field use of these foam components, the product packaging or literature that accompanies the dispenser may typically indicate that the foam should be dispensed when the temperature of one or more of the foam reactive components is above a certain temperature, such as 75.degree. F. Some instructions recommend that the containers be placed in a warm environment for 48 hours or more so that the contents will rise to 75.degree. or above. Despite these cautionary instructions, conventional two foam component fluent dispensers have no means to determine the temperature of the contents of foam component containers.
Many users do not fully acclimate the containers, perhaps out of a mistaken belief that the containers warm more quickly than they actually do. Users also become impatient with the time needed for complete acclimation and operate the dispensers when the components are colder than they should be. Resulting foam yields will be small leading to inefficiency and the foam components may not completely react with each other, affecting the quality of the foam produced.
A need therefore exists for means to readily indicate to the user the temperature of the contents of the foam components so as to ensure the proper dispensing of the foam components.